A gem hidden away. Such an oddity and well worth the time to see. Yes it does need work to freshen it up, but being off the track and in a region where decay in real time can be watched, it’s still worth the journey .

The owners work really hard to welcome guests, and you leave tired, smiling and puzzling as to what you just saw. The cafe is worth having lunch or tea at, all quite reasonable.

It’s my second visit over 4 years and I often think about the place.

Paronella Park is definitely worth a visit! José Paronella, who established the park, was a true visionary and the story of the park is extremely interesting. My photos don't do it justice. Plus it has very cute turtles to feed! The Cafe there is open till 2pm and has a good selection of freshly made food.

Paronella Magic Excellent experience. Staff were fantastic. Yana our guide was so knowledgeable and took her time with us, arranged transfers for us.

I would highly recommend for other visitors to Cairns to make sure the do not miss this unique experience. It is so good the story lives on.

We were recommended to visit this park on our way to Cairns and it was absolutely worth it. The staff was super friendly and we enjoyed our day and night tour with Yana especially! Both are included in the ticket price and so is a night at their little caravan park. We totally enjoyed our time there, everything was clean and the story behind the park is magical (as is the park ;)

Suprise 5star attraction Wow what can I say. What a brilliant experience. We loved our experience. We decided to do a tour of the park with Vicki our guide. She was extremely knowledgeable and had a great sense of humour. There is so much incredible history, so much more that any of us imagined. I recommend this 5 star attraction to all ages.

We absolutely loved visiting Paronella Park. All of the staff were so friendly and welcoming. We were taken on a lovely tour by Megan who was very knowledgeable about the history of the park. We also got to meet the owner Mark which was great to hear his story about what made him buy the park. Highly recommend if your in a campervan as the ticket includes free camping on there site. Also the ticket included the night tour which is a must do. The Devonshire scones in the morning were also great. Paronella Park was one of the highlights of our trip 👍🏼

The way Megan (the park tour guide) spoke about this awesome historical estate was inspiring and emotional and we could travel through time, imagining the past glory days. The romance, the vision and finally the ill fortune of Paronella family, presented and preserved through today is a well worh visiting. It is inspiring understanding how much ahead of his time Jose Paronella was, the vision he had and the technology he brought in the country. Visiting it even on the rainy day was an absolute delight.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Paronella Park holds a very special place for us. In 2021, my partner and I got engaged here during the night tour, right beside the waterfall. After not taking a proper holiday since, returning here felt like the only place that made sense.

This park is genuinely magical. The history, the architecture, and the sheer determination behind its survival make it unlike anywhere else in Australia. The story of José Paronella and the decades of effort by Mark, Judy, and the entire team to preserve and restore this place is remarkable. Fires, floods, cyclones — and yet it still stands, full of character and atmosphere.

Walking through the grounds feels like stepping into a rainforest castle. It’s peaceful, romantic, and immersive. This is a place you come to slow down, wander, and take it all in — not rush from attraction to attraction.

A few practical notes for visitors:

This is North Queensland rainforest — it’s humid. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, stay hydrated, and pace yourself during walks and tours.

The Skywalk is beautiful but very humid (again — rainforest). Take your time and bring water.

The cabins are small and don’t include kitchenettes, but honestly, why cook? The nearby Mena Creek Hotel serves what we genuinely consider one of the best pub meals in Australia. We’ve talked about that pub for four years, and it’s still consistently excellent.

The park also does a great job providing information for visitors — brochures, flyers, and suggestions for other Queensland and local activities — plus a fantastic gift shop worth visiting.

Paronella Park isn’t just a tourist attraction; it’s a piece of living history. If you appreciate heritage, resilience, and natural beauty, this place will absolutely blow you away.

We will always come back here — it’s where our story truly began.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars, without hesitation.

A truly memorable experience. Crumbling ruins hidden amongst a huge garden planned in a by-gone era that has had time to grow into a lush, tropical oasis. The night show is amazing.

Magical experience Fantastic day filled with imagination and adventure great staff and informative tour by Vicki the owner even greeted us on arrival

Visit is a must do if in the area Nice place to visit and wander around for a couple of hours. Good little tour is included with ticket, as well as the ability to come back for the evening show.
Most of the staff and the owners were really enthusiastic about the property and sharing it.
Pretty sure that you can stay at the park camp/caravan area for super cheap too (though we stayed at a nearby bnb)

Great visit paronella park I had read so much about the place and it lived up to everything I imagined
The staff, owners all such friendly informative people, my guide around the park was Vicki 🙌🙌🙌
What I liked most was the low key but well organised way the place is run, loved it
Will recommend to others

Let your imagination run wild - we love this place. Wow, wow and wow.

We arrived at lunch time ish, had a quick drink at the pub, which turned into lunch before heading to Paronella.

We arrived at Paronella after lunch and were greeted by the loveliest staff and when I say loveliest I mean it. We were staying at the van park so we had already booked and paid, which was so easy to do, I highly recommend this.

Tours run every 1/2 hour and we were lucky to get on the next tour, which I also highly recommend doing, the Jose Paronella & Mark & Judy Evans stories are just lovely. The tour goes for about 1/2 hour and then you can explore the park at your leisure which we did.

We could imagine being in the grand ballroom with the parquetry flooring and disco ball dazzling the area. Swimming and frolicking at the picnic area. Refreshments and games at the tennis court. The amazing trees in the Kauri forest.

It was like stepping back in time!!! And that was just in the day time.

Fast forward to 6.45pm, we meet along with another 30 - 40 people, adjacent to the cafe at the park, and were greeted by Mark (owner, along with wife Judy of Paronella for the last 32 years). This made our visit very personal to be greeted and thanked us all for helping keep the Jose Paronella & The Evans dream alive.

The night tour was amazing ..I have to leave something to the imagination!!!! You simply must visit Paronella Park.

We really enjoyed the walk around Paronella Park and everything the site has to offer — it’s a beautiful place with a lot of charm. That said, we felt the price is pretty steep for anyone who just wants to do a quick visit and take some photos. The cost of the overnight stay feels fair, but for a short visit we wouldn’t come back at that price.

A number of the monuments were also under repair, and the many “no trespassing” signs take away from the atmosphere a bit. We understand why they’re needed, but it still affects the vibe.

It would be great if the park offered different pricing options — for example, a half-day pass, a full-day pass with the history tour, and a separate rate for the night stay. This would make the experience more accessible and better matched to the type of visit people want.

Really cool place with a wholesome story behind it. Bill, our guide was amazing. Bloke loves what he does. The story of the Spaniards Dream in Australia is one australia should be proud of. Recommend taking the time to do this. It does cost but it really is worth it.

What an amazing place, not just the history.
All the staff, from checking in, our guide Bill and the cafe staff on the way out.
Now the fish, standing and feeding them you will think they are big but when you get back up the top.... You realize how big.

I wanted to add a little more to this review to include the camp ground known as "The Paddock".
Just a short stroll from Paronella Park and nestled behind the historic Mena Creek Hotel, The Paddock is the perfect place to park, relax and immerse yourself in the beauty of Tropical North Queensland.

Whether you're travelling in a caravan, motorhome, or camper trailer, The Paddock offers spacious, level sites surrounded by lush greenery and a welcoming atmosphere. The facilities are new, clean, and cater to all your basic travelling needs!

Guests staying at The Paddock enjoy:

Your First Night Free* with your Paronella Park admission - pre-bookings essential to avoid disappointment

Modern amenities including toilets, hot showers, laundry, and a camp kitchen

Powered sites (most with drive-through access)
Pet-friendly (bring your furry travelling companion!)
Direct access to The Mena Creek Hotel for meals and refreshments
Whether you're here for one night or several, The Paddock is your gateway to one of Queensland’s most enchanting destinations. Wake to the sounds of nature, unwind under the stars, and enjoy all the comfort and convenience you need—just minutes from the magic of Paronella Park.

Book your stay at The Paddock when purchasing your Paronella Park tickets.

* Additional nights available at standard rates

Incredible story behind this place. Loved it! Wouldn't have been the same experience without the tour guide. It's a must... They are so full of energy and know the Jose Paronella story inside out. Fab music and light show after dark too.

This place is amazing, the gardens, the castle, the waterfall, everything is lovely. It’s very well run, everything from checking in through to leaving. We were very pleased with the camping area as well, so private and the facilities are excellent. Big shout out to our guide Jim.

A beautiful part of history - respecting the past & bringing it back to glory. Fromm being greeted at the entrance by Mark (owner) to participating in the tour with Bill as our guide, the experience was wonderful. I love being told the history of Paronella Park & how the current owners are bringing it back to life.
It is a beautiful way to spend a few hours.

Fascinating This is an amazing place to visit, hearing all about the original owner Jose and his family was fascinating, they were certainly a tough breed back then. Would highly recommend a visit, if we’re back in cairns again I would arrange to stay a night here and see the night tour.

Absolutely stunning This was a stunning place to visit. Absolutely beautiful. Vicki our tour guide did a great job of explaining the history of the park. The paddock camp ground is one of the best we have stayed in. The light show at night was also a highlight

A photographers dream , such a magical place like an adult fairy garden. Such a great story our guide was amazing. You can wander freely also and take your time.

Absolutely beautiful, so glad I got to see it. An amazing story told by the lovely guide. The staff at the booking office were extremely helpful. They were also able to cater for my husband who is unable to walk far by providing transport rather than attempting the stairs.

Unbelievably good! Do yourself a favour and check this place out. Incredible story, beautiful castle and gardens. Fantastic customer service from everyone we encountered but Bas our guide was amazing! Great to hear from Mark the owner as well. Loved it!!

This really was amazing... Our tour guide was a wonderful story teller and really immersed us into the history and beautiful story of the park. Its a lovely ground to explore and we even saw a juvenile Cassowary while at the park too.

It was one of my bucket list. Finally made it here couple of weeks ago. I felt like 60$ for entry is bit too much. Its getting older and older so better to visit before they close it permamently. Its around 1.5 hours drive from Cairns city. The big banana farms and Sugarcane farms on the way are beautiful. There is a free wife inside this park. Cafe and shop they are beautiful. They also have guided tours every 30 minutes. They even do tour for 2 people which is very good. If you go around 4 pm you can do both day and night tours. I downloaded a offline map going back to cairns because the internet is terrible around that area.

Mind blowing Absolutely wonderful experience. So impressed with every aspect, particularly that the profits go back into improvements, which are noticeable and that they give employment to 70 staff. This was our second visit and we will be back.

Relaxed Experience A beautiful look into one man's dream achieved in the 1930s. Beautifully restored and presented. Both the day and night tours highly recommended.

Absolutely worth every penny if you’re interested in luscious gardens, beautiful scenery, and a bit of history. Tours are included in the price and very entertaining and interesting. I absolutely loved this place!

The day tour with Larissa and night tour with Enis. Incredible experiences, with day tour guide Larissa making this park come alive with her stories which were so inspiring and well told about the becoming of Paronella Park and Enis taking the night tour which was spectacular. Our relatives who joined us in their RV got free accomodation. Their kids loved the whole park, the free food to feed the fish and the turtles. Thank you to the current owners for continuing Jose’s dream. I already read the biography which was written so beautifully. Thanks again!

Paronella Park is absolutely stunning! I could visit over and over and never get tired of its beauty. The breathtaking scenery is only part of the experience, the vision and genius behind its creation is truly inspiring. A great tip: go in the afternoon and stay for the evening tour. Seeing the park lit up at night is magical and well worth the wait. Best of all, it’s of no extra cost, just call ahead to book your spot for the evening tour.

Day trip south of Cains. DO IT! A hidden gem just south of Cairns & well worth a visit. The scenery alone is breathtaking, but add to that its incredible history told by passionate tour guides makes it an experience you’ll be glad you did. Afterwards we went to Innisfail for a sumptuous lunch & then a stunning rainforest treetop walk at Mamu Tropical Skywalk & swim at Babinda Boulders

Thoroughly enjoyed our visit.. We had a great time at Paronella Park. The guided day tour is very interesting and takes you around the whole site. The night show is amazing and give you a completely different perspective. The cafe is not expensive and the jam & scones are not only very tasty but excellent value!

A gentle, interesting and calming experience. It is a beautiful spot to walk around, have a picnic lunch or to simply enjoy the ambience of this historic place.it has many walking paths that lead to a different point or join up to other paths with the element of surprise. The structures around the grounds are interesting. There are a few creeks and even a couple of waterfalls. You may even see some turtles. I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Well worth doing for a casual and layback sort of of day.

A unique experience you will not find anywhere else in Australia. The gardens and picturesque ruins are magnificent. Mark and Judy have done an incredible jobs bringing Jose’s vision back to life. The guided tours are a must - we had Bas lead ours with so much knowledge and enthusiasm. Worth the trip.

I had visited this place when I was a little girl. Came back this Valentine’s Day with my fiancé. It was just as beautiful as I remember. The tour is short and sweet and then you can take your time wandering around the beautiful park. We loved feeding the cheeky turtles & were in awe of the abundance of electric blue Ulysses butterflies. Our tickets last for two years which means we can come back and visit again soon as we please. If you are visiting in summer months, bring plenty of water & mosquito repellent. You can also bring in some snacks or a picnic as there are plenty of benches and stunning, peaceful areas to enjoy your food. Otherwise, there is a cafe available and yummy ice cream. Definitely a must do for anyone visiting North Queensland & if you’re a local and have always thought of going, do it!

A Definite Must See Hubby and I camped at Paronella Park for 2 nights and also took the opportunity to visit the park. I would absolutely recommend the night tour it was lovely being in the park at night, and the show was great. Our guides Meghan and Jana we fantastic. We went back for a day tour and Jana was very knowledgeable and a great guide. Photos don't do it justice you have to see it for yourself. Camping amenities are clean and well maintained. Campsites are shady and some have concrete slabs. I look forward to going back at camping at The Paddock. Amenities and camp kitchen are very modern and clean. So many good things to say, the history is amazing. Recommend a visit or overnight stay.

A beautiful wander through the bush.
The architecture is mesmerising as well as the story behind it. Kylie took us for about a 30 minute tour, talking about the history of the place. She was very natural in her presentation. We went for the day and spent over 4 hours. We took a picnic, as you could come and go from the park. We took our time and there were sights to behold at every turn.
Don’t go if you don’t love nature and appreciate the story behind the architecture.

We also went back for the night tour which was lovely to see the structures lit up and immerse in some lovely music. It’s short but I appreciate that it’s not any longer to not disrupt the local wildlife. Thanks Megan, Les and Yana!

You are supporting local businesses!

A true dream Me and my partner bought a day ticket, which gave us a full day to explore the park, do the evening tour and a free night at the campsite!
A truly magical place and a great piece of history you can really feel Jose’s dream come to life. Our tour guide in the day was Bill, he was absolutely amazing and helped make the park come alive with his informative tour and definitely made us want to come back with his enthusiasm! Les and Diane were a great help and provided a very interesting night tour of the park. The park is a whole different experience at night and the light and music show was fantastic.
I would recommend anyone to come here and visit in the day and night and if you’re travelling 100% use the free night at the campsite with your ticket admission. Thanks to all the staff at Paronella Park!
Also we saw lots of wild snapping turtles at the park which was a true wonder to see!

Beautiful Park and lovely cafe Bill was a great tour guide, the tours are 35 mins long and give you a good overview of the park and the story of Paronella Park. I would recommend doing a tour first and then you can explore the park after knowing some of the history!!
It’s very beautiful. We were able to feed fish and turtles as well as seeing many plant species.
The cafe is excellent with fresh baking and the best iced coffee (with ice-cream) I have had !

What an amazing place. Our whole experience was fantastic. The staff are all so wonderful, knowledgeable, helpful and professional. We had such a fabulous time. Even after a slight mishap, our memories of this place are totally positive and we definitely look forward to going back.

I would highly recommend visiting this hidden gem! We decided to do the tour and it was incredible. Bill was a great tour guide, very fun and knowledgeable. The history of this place is truly amazing and Bill made it so captivating.

Magical piece of history This is such a beautiful preserved piece of history with such a great story. The park and the surrounds are well maintained and magical to wander. You can see the owners are very passionate and proactive about helping the community and natural environment. We felt very lucky to have the chance to visit and be apart of it. Our tour guide Vicky was great at what she does, made our tour very engaging. And the ticket is such a great deal with the chance to return back for a period of time and do the night tour as well. We did return and do the night tour. Which we highly recommend! It was excellent.

Lovey experience It was a great experience to see what one man’s vision can accomplish. It would have been a labour of love cause it’s pretty humid in that hollow.

Stunning, Romantic and Inviting Carolina and Les were both amazing and informative tour guides. Must do both tours Day & Night to get the full experience, ambiance and stunning surroundings of Paronella Park. Day tour gives you the history and the night tour gives you the beauty. Mark Evans (the owner) meets and greets you in the car park. He is a very lovely man with many brilliant ideas just like Jose. The stay in the cabins was very comfortable, simple but inviting. Will definitely return to this beautiful part of history at Mena Creek.
Thank You Mark and wonderful Staff from Nina and Jacky.

A magical experience! One of the best things to do in Queensland! It starts with the adventures walk there from the caravan park over a hanging bridge. Then you will be welcomed by the friendly and helpful staff at the reception. Everyone was smiling and explained everything very well and with patience. We felt really welcomed. You can really feel that they enjoy their workplace and that they like the park and the people they are working for. The day tour was guided by Viki (Vivi/Vicki?). She did a fabulous job! Everyone was Held captive by her stories and we all wanted to know more about this fascinating man who built this park. The night tour guide also did a great job and led us through the amazing show they did for highlighting the specialties of the park. They also provide a free car service for people who cannot walk the stairs.
The man of the couple who bought the park and who renovated it even spoke to the group. These people did an amazing job with this project and they have my respect in facing this huge task. You can really see their success and the passion they put into everything. When you are around please stop for a visit and see the wonder they created with your own eyes.

One Spaniards dream From the moment we checked into the caravan park (they also have cabins a boutique church accommodation and day Visitors) we were welcomed by friendly staff. Dries who showed us where our site was, Bill who took our day tour were so welcoming and knowledgeable. If travelling along the Cassowary Coast this is an experience not to be missed.

This is up there with our top spots in Australia to visit on our 7 month journey so far. An amazing place with a fascinating story. Breathtaking scenery. Great caravan park. Staff were so kind and helpful. Mark greeted us at the door and he was very generous with his time. We got a day and night tour and they were spectacular. The tour guides we had were amazing, funny and friendly.

Atmospheric gardens and moss covered ruins My husband and I spent a happy few hours at Paronella Park. First we joined the super interesting 35 minute guided tour, and then we spent a couple of hours wandering around the gardens and ruins by ourselves. We had our lunch in the cafe - very good and reasonably priced meat and salad sandwiches - and fed the turtles and fish their lunch! The entry fee was a little steep, but we can see that the gounds and ruins need money for ongoing maintenance!

Spent a fabulous morning at Paronella Park. Truly amazing what was built a 100 years ago.

The guided tour was informative, funny and well worth it. We will definitely go back for the evening tour....... being members now.

Paronella Park a beautiful place to visit We visited Paronella Park yesterday,we hadn’t been there for 15yrs,it was amazing .Judy & Mark Evans are doing to a wonderful job in restoring it.We did the guided tour which went into the history of the castle & its original owners was fascinating.It is very beautiful place to visit highly recommend it

A couple hours of exploring but probably not the best value for money on a budget Julian the tour guide was phenomenal, shout out to him- his enthusiasm and effortless storytelling was exemplary. It was a great tour and about 2h exploring, but very steep price. At 57pp it seems too steep. For those who might return in 2years or those that are camping there, it presents good value but there should be a different price for short term 1-of entry. I would rate 5 stars if the price was 35 or 40 dollars

Lovely way to spend the afternoon Wonderful story of one man’s dream that has inspired others ever since. Leo the tour guide was a delight and the app explaining the various high points around the property was an excellent value add

Very impressed. Booked ahead of time with no waiting time on the phone or being put on hold. $58 per person and totally worth it. Judy and Mark could easily afford to charge more than this. The fee includes both day and night tours and a night in The Paddock. Amenities at the caravan site were magnificent. Looked brand new and very clean. We went to the pub for dinner. Meals were reasonably priced and quite big. As for the park itself, as a photographer, I had a ball. It is breathtakingly beautiful and definitely my favourite highlight from QLD so far. Mark personally greeted the visitors at the door and Bill (our tour guide) had a flair for drama and was very entertaining.

Great place to visit I wasn’t sure what to expect with Paronella Park but was left pleasantly surprised. Our guide Jasper was full of great information on the history of Paronella Park & how it came to be.
Great morning out. Head up the road to the pub for a good lunch too!!

An amazing place to visit. Second visit and will come back again. Great improvements being made. Inspirational story of the history,beautiful waterfall, great lunch at the pub and free overnight camping with your entry as well as the day tour and night tour with light show and music. The staff are all wonderful and couldn't do more to make the visit memorable. Would give more than 6 stars of I could. And you can return multiple times within 3 years. Terrific value. Great to support these passionate owners.

Paronella Park was everything it promised to be and more!
The day tour was spectacular! Billy was the most amazing tour guide. He was knowledgeable and entertaining! He truly knew his stuff and was able to answer any question put to him. There was plenty of time to wander through the park for the thousands of photo opportunities and amazement at the many structures that have lasted the test of time.
The night tour was colourful and magical. Completely worth doing both tours.
What a beautiful love story - complete with castles!
With a 24 month ticket for the price of one day, I'll certainly be back again and again!

One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Just stunning. The whole place is so beautifully looked after and the history is mind blowing given what has been created. The staff and tour guide was excellent and so welcoming. Highly recommend on your trip.

Really enjoyed the park and tour from Bill who was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend for a day out.

If you're a local your day pass can become a 2 year pass so bonus!

The story surrounding the park is by far the best and really opens up the history of the Paronella family and José's vision.

Wonderful day at a park with so much history We went with Simon from Tropic Tours. Visits included Babinda Boulders, Etty Bay, Paronella Park with Tea at the Mena Creek Hotel. A wonderful experience in a truly lovely forest area with amazing water flows and an inspiring history of perseverance and dedication. A hugely knowledgeable guide, Simon has a family link to the park and instilled his personable touch to the story. The night light show was a highlight. Highly recommend this trip.